BENGALURU: With an assurance of dialogue with Chief Minister and a promise of an amicable solution, agitating farmers withdrew their protest on Monday but H D Kumaraswamy continued to question the point of protests. The Chief Minister is set to hold talks with all stakeholders, including sugar factory owners and farmers representatives overpayment of arrears to sugarcane growers on Tuesday.
Industries minister K J George held talks with stakeholders on Monday and the discussions are expected to continue during Tuesday’s meeting.
The massive protest by farmers at the Freedom Park in the city and elsewhere in the state was called off after the government agreed to listen to their demands. A 29-point memorandum was submitted to the government voicing farmers’ concerns including implementation of loan waiver and fair support price. Despite farmers issuing a fresh deadline for the government to act, Kumaraswamy was bent on deeming the protests frivolous and uncalled for. He also hinted that the protests were being fanned by the opposition BJP.
An emotional Kumaraswamy played the victim card once again and said he was being unfairly targeted despite doing everything he could for farmer welfare. Reiterating that he did not insult farmers, Kumaraswamy justified the remarks he made against agitating farmers on Sunday. “If there is a single instance of me disrespecting women I will resign. Those who are assaulting my effigy with sickles are not farmers; my farmers respect me,” Kumaraswamy said. He added that the BJP instead of sponsoring the protests should debate on the floor of the House.
Kumaraswamy took exception to BJP calling for a core committee meeting on Tuesday to back the protests.
Kumaraswamy said he would not give in to such ‘intimidation tactics’ and asked farmers proof of their claim that over `450 crore were pending in arrears from sugar factory owners. “Before I came to power, there were arrears of `2,000 crore. I personally held meetings to settle dues and now barely `35 crore of arrears are left. A few more factories have dues of `20 crore and arrears are not more than `58 crore in total. If farmers claim that arrears are more than that then they should come forward and provide details,” he said adding that when compared to all other states, dues in Karnataka was merely 0.36%.
Kumaraswamy repeatedly asked why he was being criticised despite his government waiving crop loans worth `45,000 crore. In complete defence of his bureaucracy, Kumaraswamy claimed that all officials had responded in time to farmers to address their concerns. He even gave out names of six sugar factories in Belagavi, Bagalkot, Bidar, Ballari and Kalaburagi districts that have pending arrears.
Taking potshots at the Union government for failing to aid his government’s loan waiver but choosing to mock it, Kumaraswamy said, “Prime Minister says we have issued warrants to farmers instead of waiver. Let me remind him that it is the nationalised banks under his control that are issuing warrants. I am all set to announce `45,000 crore for loan waiver in the next budget,” he said. Kumaraswamy minced no words in expressing his hurt at being criticised.